What to do in Santiago (san Antonio), Chile for the day??

[Kiwi_cruiser]

We have never been to Santiago (san Antonio) before.

 

I was wondering would you recommend doing here for the day??

 

If you have been to Santiago (san Antonio) before, what did you do there for the day??

 

Also does the cruise ships dock near the city? or do we dock a long way from it?

 

Any ideas / suggestions are very welcome :D

[Andee]

I believe that Santiago is about a 90 minute drive from San Antonio.

[Reina del Mar]

The port of San Antonio is between an hour and an hour and a half from Santiago. (Coach)

 

We used the cruiseline's transfer, as it was our first time in South America.

 

We spent a few days in Santiago..we used the hop on / off bus to try and get some idea of the orientation of the  town.

[4774Papa]

Take a tour with SouthExcursions.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Thank You everyone for your replays and information , very helpfully 😊

[Cupcake1290]

On 12/5/2018 at 5:39 PM, Kiwi_cruiser said:

We have never been to Santiago (san Antonio) before.

 

I was wondering would you recommend doing here for the day??

 

If you have been to Santiago (san Antonio) before, what did you do there for the day??

 

Also does the cruise ships dock near the city? or do we dock a long way from it?

 

Any ideas / suggestions are very welcome 😄

 

On 12/5/2018 at 5:39 PM, Kiwi_cruiser said:

We have never been to Santiago (san Antonio) before.

 

I was wondering would you recommend doing here for the day??

 

If you have been to Santiago (san Antonio) before, what did you do there for the day??

 

Also does the cruise ships dock near the city? or do we dock a long way from it?

 

Any ideas / suggestions are very welcome 😄

Nothing to do there. We took a taxi and went to Isla Negra, which is a beautiful place where a very famous chilean poet used to live. Breathtaking views. Besides that, NOTHING else. A very boring place.

[joybook]

As others have said Santiago is a couple of hours away from San Antonio. If you are asking about Santiago, as we have done in some other South American ports we plan to take a free walking tour - I think it is with Strawberry Walking Tours.

[catsngoats]

We will be doing the same Jan 2020:  with an early arrival to Santiago we will have most of the day to make our way to the port (SA).  Are there any wineries along the way/in the region?

[porsena]

As Cupcake said, there seems to be little to do in San Antonio. If that is your port of arrival, one of the two major bus lines in Chile runs a coach from the port exit to the main bus station in Santiago. It leaves when it's full but, if you miss it San Antonio's bus station is just a couple of blocks from the port exit and has a couple of scheduled departures to Santiago every hour. I remember the cost as under $10 a ticket. Highway coaches in Chile are comfortable and safe, and are the way many Chileans travel between cities. If San Antonio is your port of departure, you might want to book a tour that includes a winery or two on the way.  

 

We spent 5 days in Santiago at the end of our cruise last November. It's a major city with lots to see, lots of green space and interesting parks with nice walks, lots of shopping. We took a tour one day out to Valparaiso and Viña del Mar arranged by our hotel, the Mercure Santiago Centro. I recommend the Mercure, whose staff are excellent, among the best we've met. Santiago has curious traffic patterns with many one-way streets not necessarily signposted as such. Though I'm comfortable driving in most cities we visit I would not want to rent a car in Santiago.   

[Spottybaby]

Could you let us know the cost of transfer to airport from San Antonio cruise port by the cruise ship? Would this be Celebrity? Thanks heaps.

[catsngoats]

Cruise line transfers may vary somwhat, but are at $50 per person.  From what I’ve learned so far, the public coach bus is $6 US one way, from Santiago terminal to the San Antonio dock.  Until a few months ago, it stopped at the San Antonio bus depot.  Now, since the cruise ship dock has become established (new a few years ago I think), they go the last mile. 

[Spottybaby]

Thanks catsngoats. I enquired at some Chilean transport companies and they quoted USD90 per person and another even more. Though they were for private transfers. Finally I called up Celebrity and they charge AUD82 each person (about USD60). We went with this (don't mind sharing with others.

[AKJonesy]

PORSENA -  from your Post #9 would you mind answering the following:

We arrive in San Antonio (Santiago) at end of our cruise in Jan 2020.  We have some options for killing the day embarking then taking night flight to Atlanta.  I never really liked the cruise ship's excursions, so am thinking of doing something else.  

 

You commented on Post #9 regarding transportation from the cruise ship port in San Antonio to Santiago.  It looks like we can take a bus into Santiago bus station from San Antonio, store the luggage and then kill the day in Santiago then head to airport for a 10pm flight.  I thought about just taking the HAL transfer to airport but Delta does not start check in until 3 hours prior, so that does not seem like a good idea.  I'll also have to check the luggage restrictions on the bus that goes into Santiago.  I don't know...do you think this is a good plan?  Any other ideas?  Anyone else feel free to comment.

[porsena]

AKJonsey: As you noticed above, we took the bus from San Antonio. We were prepared to walk to the bus terminal but the bus line had a coach waiting just inside the port exit, just before where you would walk out on the street. If you see a bus parked there, ask the ticket seller about it--they will speak English. Their trip ends at the main Santiago bus terminal, which is not that far from the sights of the city and on Santiago's main road. 

 

I don't know if you'll be able to store your bags at the bus terminal. Assuming you can, in one day Id skip Viña del Mar (although it hos one of the world's great beaches) and focus on Santiago..

 

From the bus station (Estaçion Central , you might take a cab east up Ave Bernardo O'Higgins to La Moneda (the mint museum). From there you could walk around the city centre, which has lots to see and good food. If you're able to walk uphill, we'd recommend the climb up Santa Lucia park, which has some amazing architecture and good views from the top. The Santiago funicular to the top of San Cristobel Hill is also worthwhile.

 

Santiago is a good city to visit. We felt safe there and enjoyed our time.  I hope you do too!

[Mary229]

I spent a week in Santiago a couple of years ago prior to a cruise.  My cruise left from Valparaiso and we did stop at a few wineries on the journey from Santiago to Valparaiso.  In Santiago there is an outfit called Tips for Trips which provides walking tours mainly by college students, you pay at the end of the tour according to what you think is called for.  We had a great city tour with an intro to the museums (no entry), the city tombs (very historic) and back to the Central Park.  We then hired the same guide to visit the fish and farmers markets.  It was a day well spent.  We spent another day taking the tram and climbing to the top for the city views, there is also a shrine up there.  Descending by tram halfway is the zoo which I did not have time to visit.  

 

Valparaiso is worth visiting also.  Lots of craftsman's shops and good restaurants.

[alcpa1]

There is a hotel directly across from the airport. It used to be a Holiday Inn - don't know if it still is and it also had day rooms. Note that this was 6 or 7 years ago.

Perhaps there are others on your Roll Call who have arranged private transportation to Santiago. There are some very good transportation services whose names I recognize on the forum that can either give you a city tour or a tour and winery visit.

Santiago is a beautiful city. It's a shame you will have such little time.

[mcmarya]

The bus is very easy to take and worked well for us.  There is also a bus to the airport that has a number of pickup points.  Santiago is well worth a few hours (or days).